End of Support for Windows 7

[microsoft windows]

So I saw this interesting article on the news today:
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/07/16/microsoft-prepares-to-kill-windows-7.aspx

While it doesn't seem like too long ago, I guess it's been about 5 years since Windows 7 was released in 2009. Microsoft says they plan to move it off of mainstream support this year.

Which, of course, raises the question....how long do you think it'll take for them to get Windows 7 off of extended support? The current plan marks 2020 as the year. Think it'll hang on for longer like Windows XP did?

[SpAmRaY]

interesting domain name.......

[katushkin]

That's just silly.

[rowdy]

That would be a shame.

[fohat.digs]

That would be a shame.

"would" you mean "will"?

there is little money in long-lasting products, for the manufacturer at least.

at least they don't cripple it, so that it remains functional after its expiration date.

[katushkin]

But I'm pretty sure Win7 is used on more machines than XP and Win8 combined.

Probably.

[Eszett]

2020? We better be glad to stay healthy til 2020, Windows 7 is pretty low priority. And, btw., if we still prefer to use Windows 7 in 2020, then something went wrong with technological progression.

[katushkin]

I expect there will be a good Windows OS out by 2020 anyway. MS always do things alternately when it comes to OSs.

[kenmai9]

I expect there will be a good Windows OS out by 2020 anyway. MS always do things alternately when it comes to OSs.

Microsoft, where every other OS is good.

[rowdy]

That would be a shame.

"would" you mean "will"?

there is little money in long-lasting products, for the manufacturer at least.

at least they don't cripple it, so that it remains functional after its expiration date.

Would be a shame if support ended, doesn't say they will no extend support like they did for Windows XP.

Given the fiasco that Windows 8 was, it is entirely possible that they will extend Windows 7 support a bit longer.

[GSimon]

Windows 8 is awesome! ^{with 3rd party software to make up for its shortcomings}

2020 wouldn't be too bad, any longer than that I think may not be in anyone's best interest as by that point I'm sure there would be a stronger demand for Apps and for people to start using Windows platforms capable of using them.

[fohat.digs]

It irritates me when support for older hardware is jettisoned.

Clearly, there is little incentive for hardware makers to keep a decade + printer running, but we still use them.

[rowdy]

It irritates me when support for older hardware is jettisoned.

Clearly, there is little incentive for hardware makers to keep a decade + printer running, but we still use them.

At least our old keyboards still work!

[tp4tissue]

I won't be switching to windows 8 until there is a COMPELLING performance reason..

[Malphas]

I expect there will be a good Windows OS out by 2020 anyway. MS always do things alternately when it comes to OSs.

Microsoft, where every other OS is good.

More like the userbase gets disgruntled every time they overhaul the OS, until the next version comes out with a few tweaks and little more polished. Everyone hated Vista and loved 7, even though they're near identical. Same thing is going to happen (and is already happening) with 8 and 9. In reality, every home version of Windows was awful - including XP - until XP SP2. Ever since then each version has been incrementally better than the last.

[Zeal]

interesting domain name.......

^^^  ) )

[Altis]

I actually really like Windows 7 in many ways. I don't know that I'll be moving off it anytime soon... not so long as the new versions are all touch-screen oriented.

[Oobly]

I expect there will be a good Windows OS out by 2020 anyway. MS always do things alternately when it comes to OSs.

Microsoft, where every other OS is good.

Every other MAJOR release. IMHO: DOS 6.22, 3.11 for Workgroups, 98SE, XP, 7... best versions of their time. 3.0 sucked, 95 sucked, ME sucked, Vista sucked.

People didn't like Vista because it was crap. Major stability issues, very few drivers and poor driver support, the constantly annoying "Do you want to let this program do what it is supposed to do and that you have asked it to?" popups.... Windows 7 was a MASSIVE improvement.

It would take a LOT to get me to move from 7 to 8, just like it took a lot to get me to move from XP to 7, but I did it because it really was worth moving up to.

I wonder what the next major revision will be like. Considering the areas the new CEO of MS is focussing on (Cloud services, then mobile), it's not likely to be very good...

7 may well become the new XP with people sticking with it long after MS wants them to.

[Vanilla]

Wow that would be a bummer for many businesses who just switched over to 7 from XP after holding out. For example, the vast majority of major bank's ATMs were/ will be converted to win7 just this year.

[microsoft windows]

I guess we've got about 5½ years of support left for Windows 7 if Microsoft holds to its current update schedule. But you never know...they did extend the support lives of Windows 2000 and Windows XP before! Windows XP got a total of 13½ years of support and updates from Microsoft.

[katushkin]

Pretty much nothing is going to get me to move from 7 to 8. From my last 9 months working tech support, I have no idea where anything is on 8. So much has changed about it, and I'm so used to the XP/7 layout of all the menus and where all the options are, that I just have no desire to move.

[fohat.digs]

layout of all the menus and where all the options are

I have never achieved any real comfort level with "the Ribbon" and am still searching for things.

[dante]

I expect there will be a good Windows OS out by 2020 anyway. MS always do things alternately when it comes to OSs.

Microsoft, where every other OS is good.

Every other MAJOR release. IMHO: DOS 6.22, 3.11 for Workgroups, 98SE, XP, 7... best versions of their time. 3.0 sucked, 95 sucked, ME sucked, Vista sucked.

I may be in the minority but I never had issues with Windows 95 - loved it.

[microsoft windows]

95's a pretty good platform. Good solid OS.

[osi]

Not including backwards compatibility support out of the box for skifree was the beginning of the end for Microsoft.

- Bill Gates

March 15, 2017

[rowdy]

layout of all the menus and where all the options are

I have never achieved any real comfort level with "the Ribbon" and am still searching for things.

This.

Half the time the option you want is not visible in the ribbon, and you end up invoking the dialog box, which is pretty much exactly the same as all older ribbon-less versions of the software (thinking of Office in particular).

To me this does not make it easier to use - it just hides the familiar options underneath a pretty interface layer.

[nameistaken1]

layout of all the menus and where all the options are

I have never achieved any real comfort level with "the Ribbon" and am still searching for things.

This.

Half the time the option you want is not visible in the ribbon, and you end up invoking the dialog box, which is pretty much exactly the same as all older ribbon-less versions of the software (thinking of Office in particular).

To me this does not make it easier to use - it just hides the familiar options underneath a pretty interface layer.

It's (Office) even worse on a Mac. Our ribbon is smaller, and some options got moved to the File/Edit/.../ Context Menu. Except those aren't stuck to the window in Mac OS, they're all the way up in the OS Menu Bar. Which is usually far away from your window if you use a big screen, so you don't think to check their and end up spending 5 minutes looking for something stupid.

Anyone see those "Windows 9 Leaks"? They seem pretty cool. Start Menu looks nice to use again.

[Elrick]

Pretty much nothing is going to get me to move from 7 to 8. From my last 9 months working tech support, I have no idea where anything is on 8. So much has changed about it, and I'm so used to the XP/7 layout of all the menus and where all the options are, that I just have no desire to move.

Relax it will come down to business acceptance and here in Perth (nowheresville), no one is using the dreaded Win8 in any Business regime.  The main platform is still Windows but many businesses have just upgraded to either WinXP or Windows 7 for this year.

NO mention of ever using Win8 either this year or next.  At this rate maybe by 2018 they might start upgrading to that awful Win8 garbage but that's being extremely optimistic here  .

[Lain1911]

But I'm pretty sure Win7 is used on more machines than XP and Win8 combined.

Probably.

This

[Oobly]

Pretty much nothing is going to get me to move from 7 to 8. From my last 9 months working tech support, I have no idea where anything is on 8. So much has changed about it, and I'm so used to the XP/7 layout of all the menus and where all the options are, that I just have no desire to move.

Relax it will come down to business acceptance and here in Perth (nowheresville), no one is using the dreaded Win8 in any Business regime.  The main platform is still Windows but many businesses have just upgraded to either WinXP or Windows 7 for this year.

NO mention of ever using Win8 either this year or next.  At this rate maybe by 2018 they might start upgrading to that awful Win8 garbage but that's being extremely optimistic here  .

If they have any sense, they'll probably skip Win8 anyway and go straight to 9. Looks like they might since they're using XP and 7, not Vista.

[pcandkbguy]

will not happen, win7 is the dominant business platform, that ain't changing til win9 (and htat's a maybe)

[microsoft windows]

You could always get Windows 9X--a fine software product that's already out there!

[dorkvader]

You could always get Windows 9X--a fine software product that's already out there!

I've been trying to get a legitimate copy of them for some time. Do you have any leads? If I get one can I still activate it? I tried to install a copy of windows 98 to my flash drive and am having difficulty.

[rowdy]

You could always get Windows 9X--a fine software product that's already out there!

But when did (official Microsoft) support for it end?

[Findecanor]

I saw the other day that Dell still sells computers with Windows 7... If MS ends support of Windows 7, then that means that mainstream support for a customer's new computer would last only a couple of months. Ridiculous!

[heedpantsnow]

Mainstream support is just adding features. Not patching. MS is expected to continue patching 7 AT LEAST until 2020.

Stop freaking out. Win 8 is fine if you can take half a day and RTFM.

[dorkvader]

Stop freaking out. Win 8 is fine if you can take half a day and RTFM.

I looked and c:\readme.txt didn't exist.

[rowdy]

Stop freaking out. Win 8 is fine if you can take half a day and RTFM.

I looked and c:\readme.txt didn't exist.

Maybe it's just called README.

Except, no, wait, Windows is not a case-sensitive operating system

[nameistaken1]

You know what really bugs me about Windows?

The file system slashes are backwards.

[Novus]

I'm using Windows LCARS
It has the most intuitive interface ever, has great resolution and multitasking!